Love Is A Ruthless Game
by Mystery And Deception
Summary: Logan helps Chase come up with a plan to get Zoey to go out with him, but it leaves Chase wanting someone else.
1. It's A Boy Thing

**Monday, 2:04 pm.**

A rhythm is set in the form of Logan relentlessly tossing a baseball in the air. It lands in his hand only for a moment before it returns skyward. Michael is being quiet for once, listening to his iPod and drumming on his knees. The calm is shattered as Chase opens the door, pads his way to his bed, and just collapses. The other two eye each other carefully, as if playing 'rock, paper, scissors' to decide who gets to leave and who has to talk Chase out of his slump.

Logan loses.

Michael moves to the door and steps outside without warning, but it doesn't seem to matter; Chase doesn't notice. Huffing out a small breath, Logan sits up and lets the ball crash into the floor and roll under his bed. That can be addressed later.

"Hey, Chase…" he starts slowly, scratching at the back of his neck. "Is this about Zoey?"

The silence is answer enough.

"You're being stupid about this," he adds bluntly. "She's just a _girl_." A glare meets him, almost makes him cringe. "What if I told you I could help you out? Take my advice, and I can guarantee she'll be all over you in two weeks or less." He can't promise. Or if he does, he can't keep it. But he also can't sit by and watch his friend suffer.

"How?" Chase asks quietly, sitting up to look at Logan. "I've tried everything. She's not interested."

"_Easy_," Logan says with a small scoff. "Just pretend to be interested in someone else. She'll get jealous and realize she's in love with you."

Perhaps it's a good idea in theory. Perhaps it's worth a shot. But if he tries and it doesn't work, what then? He will have embarrassed himself, and whoever allows him to flirt with them knowing nothing will come of it.

Most people would want a relationship if they were going to be flirting endlessly with someone for two weeks. Or, at the very least, sex. Something physical, emotional. Something good and true. Which it wouldn't be. Maybe this is morally wrong. Maybe he shouldn't.

But he's already saying yes.

"Flirt with who?"

Logan smirks, as if the answer should be obvious. As if he shouldn't have to ask. And it makes Chase's stomach drop because the boy must be cooking up some sort of awful plan and it's probably going to get one or both of them slapped or hated. Maybe both. Chase just wants this to go well.

Is that possible?

"We should start hanging out more, excluding Zoey when you and I want to do something. She'll think _you_ think I'm better than her, get jealous, and confront you. That's the perfect time to kiss her."

The benefit for Logan is that he gets to spend time with his best friend, which hasn't happened in… months.

The tables shift; Chase turns him down.

"I don't want to get her that way. If she likes me, she'll let me know. Until then, I'll keep trying."

**Wednesday, 4:17 pm.**

Her hair curls perfectly around her collarbone and her smile is what lights the room. She's the only one. Quinn and Mark are at a movie. Lola is griping about some guy who turned her down. Logan's still upset about Chase rejecting his proposal and Michael is god-knows-where. But Zoey loves beating Chase at foosball.

"So, I met a guy the other day and…"

Immediately, Chase's heart stops; his hands stop moving. He stops listening. The small soccer ball gets past his goal and she looks up at him, wondering what just happened. He swallows and manages a nervous chuckle.

"Are you two, like… going out?"

Not that he cares to hear the answer. Logan listens for him, ears like a satellite collecting information. The guy's name is Jake and he just transferred into her history class. And they are definitely dating. Chase is heartbroken, though Logan can't exactly blame him.

"Wow, Zo, that's great. I'm… really happy for you," he says sincerely. He's one of those people who can't help but be happy for their friends, even if the outcome isn't something he'd been hoping for. But one thing is clear: if he wants Zoey, he needs to do something.

And Logan's offer is starting to sound more appealing every minute.

Ignoring it temporarily, the foosball game continues. Zoey wins and thankfully no one comments on how distracted Chase is.

**Thursday, 3:21 am.**

He checks the clock for the third time. It's almost 3:30 and Chase still isn't back. He groans and closes his eyes again in an attempt to sleep, though that's a hard thing to accomplish when he's this worried about his friend.

Though he doesn't count, or even bother checking, he figures it's at least an hour later when he finally hears the door.

Logan stiffens and rolls onto his side, tired eyes staring at Chase's, though _he's_ at least had coffee. He'd have a killer headache in a few hours when he couldn't sleep, but he's still had coffee. And Logan? Logan's just _exhausted_. Turns out, avoiding your best friend is hard work.

"Was worried about you. Where the hell've you been?" It comes out harsher than he means, so he decides to blame it on the sleep deprivation.

"I've been thinking," Chase says, walking to the other boy's bedside. "About what you said, and I think I agree. I want to try."

"You want to flirt with me?" Logan says with half a smirk.

Chase hesitates, squatting down on the floor to get a better look at his friend. "Yeah, but only because we both understand it's nothing." Isn't it? "We can go to Sushi Rox tonight, just the two of us."

The issue? Logan gets territorial. Not that Chase expects him to under these circumstances, but he still does. And if anyone tries to get on Chase about it, he _will_ kick their ass and have them deported, screw their citizenship.

"It's a date," he answers tiredly, completely oblivious to the discomfort caused by the word 'date.' And, to him, that's what it is.

Even if he knows he promised it's nothing. Because something like this could never be nothing to him. It doesn't matter if he's helping his crush get with someone else because it will make Chase happy. And in the end, that's all he wants.

He just wishes that Chase would be happy with him.


	2. The One With The Date

**Thursday, 6:35 pm**

Logan's been antsy all day and he isn't doing a good job at hiding it. Though, of course, anyone who asks doesn't get much of an answer. It isn't important and if Chase picking up Zoey is going to work, they don't need to know what's going on. It needs to be anonymous.

As much so as possible, at least.

But when Chase comes by to hang out with the gang, the tension leaves Logan's shoulders. He isn't sure why, but he feels better. Lightening up, he offers the boy a smile and the seven friends all talk about nothing for a while. Zoey's boyfriend isn't there, but she keeps insisting he's coming, just busy.

Logan thinks it's a load of crap, not that it matters to him.

At seven, Chase looks at Logan curiously. He knows, because he looked. And Logan smiles back, waiting for Chase to make the move. It won't work otherwise.

"Hey, Logan, you still up for sushi tonight?" he interrupts, everyone staring oddly at the bushy-haired boy.

Logan smirks in response; "Definitely."

"Can I-"

"Sorry, Lola," Chase spits out quickly, hopping up and grabbing Logan's wrist. "We... have something we need to talk about. It's private. You don't want to know," he hurries, pulling his friend with him nervously.

Rolling his eyes, Logan regains control of his arm. "Nice going, _dork_. That's not suspicious at all."

"Shut up."

**Thursday, 8:17 pm**

Their date is flying by, both boys laughing and generally having a good time. Until Chase brings up Zoey.

He wants advice on asking her out, advice Logan isn't fond of giving. And maybe it's within reason. Maybe it's because Logan doesn't want to lose his best friend. Maybe it doesn't matter.

But he gives in, because this is _Chase_ and Logan can't resist those eyes.

"Look, just..." he trails off for a moment and grabs Chase's hands, staring the boy in the eyes. "Look at her like this and say... I dunno; _'I think I love you. I have for a while now, and I would do anything to be with you. What do you say? Can I be your boyfriend?'_"

They release each other's hands.

"_Yeah,_" Chase says with a small smile and the shake of his head.

Neither boy notices the figure slipping out the back of the restaurant.

"Great idea, but she's dating that Jake guy."

"Make her regret it."

**Thursday, 9:03 pm**

Michael runs, out of breath, to get back to the girls. They give him questioning looks as he pants, doubled over and supporting himself by way of the table they're gathering around.

"What's wrong, Michael? _Michael_?"

He doesn't answer, aside from holding a finger up to them and coughing.

Are those his lungs coming up?

"I just saw the most ridiculous thing..." he starts and takes a seat beside Quinn, finally half-able to breathe. "Logan just looked Chase in the eye and said he loves him."

Gasps fill the air and Zoey's the first to speak. "Are they gay?"

The comment is more insensitive than intended and Quinn gives her a look for it. A silent apology demands for Michael to finish the story.

"I think he just asked Chase out, and I'm pretty sure Chase said yes."

Silence takes over. Zoey looks hurt. Quinn confused and Lola intrigued. Michael on the other hand, looks as if he'll never be able to look at his roommates the same again. And the fact is that he probably won't.

"What do we do?"

**Friday, 12:00 pm**

Lunch is quiet today. Logan and Chase are sitting beside one another, staring uncomfortably at each other as they attempt to dissect the looks of scrutiny being shot their way. Had they done something? Surely the plan isn't working already.

The only sound actively occurring is that of chewing and breathing. The bees are also contributors.

"Hey guys," Mark pipes, walking up to the gang and placing his tray beside Quinn. The quiet unsettles him. "What's... going on?"

"Hell if I know," Logan snaps back, rolling his eyes and looking back at Chase. "You wanna get out of here? I'm bored, and these guys aren't going to be any fun."

There's hesitance, but Chase nods and gets up with his friend. He'll show Zoey that she's not that important. Logan is his best friend, that means a whole lot more than she does.

But as soon as the two are out of earshot, the gang leans in towards the center of the table.

"They _ar_e dating, oh my god."

"What?" Mark adds, confused. Quinn shushes him and gently hits his shoulder as she focuses on Michael.

"I can't believe I'm sharing a _room_ with them! That's so gross." Not really because they're _gay_, but because he won't be able to sleep if they're all over each other. And if he knows Logan... Michael shudders.

"You know what this means? We need to break them up."

So it isn't nice. So they're taking things to the extreme. Does it really matter at all? This needs to be remedied, and it's the best thing they can think of.

Chase and Logan can go off and be gay if they want. Just not with each other.

"Lola, you need to make Logan fall in love with you."

"_What_?"


End file.
